Andrew Garfield has said he still feels he is "working towards becoming Spider-Man" at the premiere of new superhero movie The Amazing Spider-Man.

The 28-year-old Bafta-winning actor has taken on the role of teenager Peter Parker who becomes a web-swinging, wall-climbing superhero after he is bitten by a mutant spider in a reboot of the classic comic book tale.

Andrew and his rumoured girlfriend Emma Stone, who plays love interest Gwen Stacy in the film, greeted fans in London's Leicester Square where a giant web hung above a stage holding a giant replica of the new red Spider-Man logo.

The British actor said: "I want to be Spider-Man but this is as close as I'll ever get to feeling like I am, unfortunately.

"I'm very happy to be working towards actually being Spider-Man."

Andrew praised his co-star Emma, who he is said to be dating off-screen.

He said: "She is fantastic. We all know and love her and she is just so fluid and present and generous and loving. She's very special."

Emma described her character as Peter Parker's "first love".

She said of working with Andrew: "We were allowed to improvise a lot. It was wonderful. It was very, very special and we learned a lot."

Director Marc Webb hailed the chemistry between Garfield and Stone as the "beating heart" of the film.